Chapter 24: 24

Catwoman had grabbed onto Batwoman, and Flux arrived just in time to witness the aerial struggle unfold. Batwoman had her grapple wrapped around Nosferata's leg and Cheshire had latched onto Catwoman in a desperate bid for survival. As Nosferata plummeted under the additional weight, Catwoman twisted, delivering a brutal kick to Cheshire's chest. The assassin crashed to the ground below with a sickening thud. The fall was high. Cheshire lay motionless, incapacitated. Batwoman, without missing a beat, used the momentum to swing Catwoman toward Nosferata, still airborne. Catwoman climbed up Nosferata's body, using her as a makeshift platform. Nosferata's wings faltered under the sudden weight. Batwoman released her grip, using her cape to glide, while Catwoman steered Nosferata's body to the floor which promptly crashed heavily. Groaning, Batwoman and Catwoman picked themselves up from the floor as they landed, but their brief respite was shattered as the room suddenly filled with Leviathan's elite and heavily armed guards. The air thickened with tension as Black Mask stepped forward, his skull-like visage twisted into a smirk. Without hesitation, he barked, "Kill them." Gunfire erupted. One of his men hesitated, blocking Black Mask's line of sight—so Black Mask shot him point-blank in the head, stepping past the body as if it were nothing. The brutality made Joseph's stomach churn. It was time to act. Flux leaped from his vantage point, utilizing the suit's wall-climbing ability to descend rapidly. His feet barely touched the walls as he flipped and rebounded between surfaces, descending gracefully before joining the fray. Chaos reigned. Mannheim barked an order, and his men activated their Apokoliptan weapons. A soldier unleashed a shock disc, homing in on Batwoman. She rolled out of the way just in time, but it locked onto Catwoman, sending surges of electricity through her body. She gritted her teeth, fighting the pain, before ripping the device off and hurling it back at her attacker. Dr. Tzin shattered two vials against the floor. The liquid twisted and convulsed, forming grotesque alchemical monsters with razor-like appendages and glowing eyes. They screeched before lunging toward their prey. La Dama stood at the center of it all, her voice rising in an ancient latin chant. Shadows twisted unnaturally as a portal opened, and two towering demons emerged, their eyes burning like embers. They roared, radiating heat and malevolence. Catwoman found herself surrounded by Mr. Yakuza's elite katana-wielding guards. Ever resourceful, she yanked a katana from one of them, expertly wielding it in defense. She deflected strikes with precision, honed by her training with Richard Dragon. When Mr. Yakuza stepped forward, she knew she was in for a true fight. Meanwhile, Batwoman had no patience for supernatural threats. Dodging a demon's swipe, she pulled a small canister from her belt, flicked it, and launched a wad of polymer putty into La Dama's mouth, gagging her. The demons, waiting for their next command, turned to their summoner—but only incoherent noises came from her. Batwoman seized the opportunity. "She says leave," she translated flatly. The demons, obedient but foolish, vanished back into the void. Batwoman smirked, then delivered a knockout punch to La Dama. Joseph had one target in mind—Mannheim. The crime lord and his Intergang soldiers raised their Apokoliptan weapons, arcs of energy crackling. Nova's voice echoed in Joseph's mind. //Warning: Charging them is dangerous with the unknown abilities of the weapons.// Joseph clenched his fists. He didn't care. They killed his mom. He moved like a predator, weaving through incoming fire, his enhanced reflexes and Nova's warnings allowing him to evade most attacks. But some landed. Energy whips lashed across his torso, sending searing pain through his body. A shock disc latched onto his shoulder, electrocuting him. His body screamed in agony, but Joseph ignored it. He had only one goal: destroy them. Relying on Nova to heal him, he pushed forward. A blur, faster than his enemies could react, he closed the gap in seconds. His fists landed with sledgehammer force, breaking bones and shattering weapons. When Mannheim found himself face to face with Joseph, the crime lord's confidence wavered. Joseph grabbed him by the collar, eyes burning with rage. He raised his fist, ready to cave in Mannheim's skull. Then he heard it. Catwoman's shout of pain. Joseph snapped his head toward the sound. His stomach dropped. Tobias Whale had her in his crushing grip. He had ambushed her after she had dealt with Mr. Yakuza. His massive arms wrapped around her like a vice. She clawed at him, gasping for air, but his strength was overwhelming. Her body trembled as her oxygen ran out. Joseph's grip on Mannheim loosened. The crime lord scrambled away, but Joseph had already moved on. His focus was singular now. He had to save Selina. Joseph bounded toward Selina and Whale like a freight train. He lunged toward Whale, who was ready to counter—but Joseph was quicker. With a powerful uppercut, he sent Whale's large body flying, unconscious. Joseph turned to Selina, his suit and injuries mending themselves. "You okay?" "I've been better," she said, exhausted. "Just give me a minute." Suddenly, the doors slammed open. Armed Interpol backup had finally arrived. They quickly took down Tzin's monsters with concentrated gunfire, while Julia Pennyworth knocked out Black Mask and King disabled Mannheim with tasers, apprehending him and his men. They took Tzin into custody before he could create more monsters. After a long fight, the emerald was retrieved, and everyone was arrested—except Cheetah and Cheshire, who had escaped earlier. Catwoman was free to go. ** The jet dropped them back in Gotham. Selina exited with Isis, her black cat, while Batwoman briefly stopped Joseph. "You did good, Flux. But we didn't catch Leviathan's leader, so they may be after you. Be careful in the future. And you'd better stop your criminal activities or else next time, you'll end up in Belle Reve," Batwoman warned, giving him a nod before walking through the door, promptly leaving with the jet. 'Well, that just happened.' Joseph thought as he caught up to Selina. "Thanks, kid. You did me a solid," Selina said as they walked back to the city, the jet landing in a remote location. "Just settling the debts, remember? And the student has surpassed the master so it's only right for the student to help," Joseph replied jokingly. "Surpassed, huh? I still have a few tricks up my sleeve." Selina said, pulling out the Cat's Eye emerald from her coat. Joseph wondered, shocked, how she had taken it from Interpol without anyone noticing. "This disciple pays respects to his master." Joseph bowed. He'd been reading too much Xinxia after he'd learned how to read and speak Mandarin. Selina laughed. Then her phone rang. "Hey Holly. I'm back home, and we'll have all the money needed to help the Sochi girls." ** Talia al Ghul sat in the dimly lit chamber, her fingers steepled as she studied the reports before her. The failure was unacceptable. Minerva had promised results, yet Leviathan's operation had ended in disaster. The emerald was lost, Mannheim was captured, and Black Mask was rotting in custody. It was a disgrace. Her father would not be pleased. She exhaled slowly, pushing aside her irritation. This setback meant she would need to reconsider her approach. Cheetah had proven to be an unreliable asset—too feral, too undisciplined. Perhaps it was time to deploy another proxy. Leviathan's true leader had to remain in the shadows, an unseen force manipulating events. And yet, there was something far more troubling than mere failure. A new variable had emerged. Flux. Talia's eyes darkened as she replayed the intelligence reports. He was an enigma. No recorded history, no known affiliations beyond Catwoman. And yet, he had bested Black Spider, managed to dismantle highly trained Intergang soldiers, and withstand Apokoliptan weaponry. That level of combat efficiency and resilience wasn't mere luck. It was calculated. Designed. She would have to let her father know about this new player. And Selina Kyle—always a thorn in her side—had been right in the middle of it. Again. Talia's grip tightened. There had always been reasons to despise Selina: her interferences, her connection to Bruce, her insolence. But now, Selina had unknowingly helped introduce an unknown factor into the war. A factor that had cost Leviathan dearly. That, Talia decided, was unforgivable. Selina Kyle had just given her another reason to hate her. And Talia never left debts unpaid.